A MAN is missing and is believed to have been killed by a shark off the southeastern tip of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia.

Early this afternoon, emergency services were called to Goldsmith Beach, south of Edithburgh - an area that is popular with surfers and divers.

Police say a man is believed to have died in a shark attack but are awaiting further details.

A local resident has told The Advertiser that emergency services workers at the scene had told him there had been an incident involving a shark.

Ambulance and police services have been deployed, along with the Sea Rescue helicopter.

A spear fishing competition was due to take place in the region this weekend.

This week, Port Lincoln tuna baron Hagen Stehr warned it was just a matter of time before there was another fatal shark attack following an unprecedented build-up of great white sharks off the SA coast.

There have been large protests around Australia in recent weeks against the WA Government's decision to cull large sharks off metropolitan beaches following an increase in the number of shark attacks.